Tanya Contois's Blog, page 20

September 1, 2012

Review of King of Darkness by Elisabeth Staab

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ETERNAL COMMITMENT IS NOT ON HER AGENDA...
Scorned by the vampire community for her lack of power, Isabel Anthony lives a carefree existence masquerading as human—although drifting through the debauched human nightlife, she prefers the patrons' blood to other indulgences. But when she meets the sexy, arrogant king of the vampires, this party-girl's life turns dark and dangerous.

BUT TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR THE KING OF THE VAMPIRES...
Dead-set on finding the prophesied mate who will unlock his fiery powers, Thad Morgan must find his queen before their race is destroyed. Their enemies are gaining ground, and Thad needs his powers to unite his subjects. But when his search leads him to the defiant Isabel, he wonders if fate had gotten it seriously wrong...Show More Show Less


King of Darkness by Elisabeth Staab begins at an even pace and picks up speed quickly. The characters of Thad and Isabel are complete opposites yet that is one of the things that makes this book so enjoyable to read. Romance readers will undoubtedly be pleased that there are multiple romantic relationships that form throughout this novel. Elisabeth Staab makes the relationships between her characters more real by adding plenty of internal and external conflict. I'm sure that many people who've read this thrilling paranormal romance are as eager as I am to see what Elisabeth Staab has in store for the diverse cast of characters she has created.

http://www.amazon.com/King-Darkness-Elisabeth-Staab/dp/1402263155/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346497261&sr=8-1&keywords=king+of+darkness+by+elisabeth+staab

http://www.amazon.com/King-Darkness-Chronicles-Yavn-ebook/dp/B006IBFV0O/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1346493842&sr=1-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-of-darkness-elisabeth-staab/1104177010?ean=9781402263156
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Published on September 01, 2012 04:02

August 30, 2012

Cover reveal and a giveaway: The Modified by C.A. Kunz

The Modified Cover Reveal & Giveaway!


What would you sacrifice to save the one’s you love? To save the one who holds your heart? To save the world?

Kenley Grayson is all too familiar with these questions. After Earth is thrust into its first intergalactic war with an unknown race called the Bringers, our military forces begin to suffer heavy losses. Desperate for a solution, the Allied Federation issues a worldwide draft for every able seventeen-year-old to enlist. As Kenley turns seventeen, she finds herself thrown into the very war that took her older brother’s life.

This year’s draft is a little different than in the past though. A new program, known as the Magnus Project, has been introduced, and only the best and brightest qualify. Kenley is amongst a select few whom are chosen to join this elite group of soldiers, and as a part of this project, undergoes a modification procedure that leaves her and her peers endowed with powers beyond their wildest dreams. As Earth continues in its struggle against the Bringers, Kenley is transported to a high-tech training facility, the Magnus Academy, to prepare for the major battle that lies ahead. It’s here that she meets the California heartthrob, and son of a legendary war hero, Landon Shaw. As unexpected feelings toward Landon begin to develop, Kenley wonders if this is the right time or place for romance to bloom, especially when those feelings start to interfere with her training. With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Kenley is constantly reminded of how important she and the rest of the Magnus cadets are to the fate of humanity. She is one of the Modified, Earth’s last line of defense against utter destruction.

The Modified releases this Fall! Like the cover for The Modified? Well then head over to Nathan Szerdy’s website and peruse his amazing collection of works. We guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!

The mom and son author duo, C.A. Kunz, thoroughly enjoys writing about things that go bump in the night and futuristic action-packed romances while drinking massive amounts of English breakfast tea and Starbucks coffee. To find out more about this duo and their books visit their blog, or find them on Facebook and Twitter!

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Published on August 30, 2012 19:11

August 29, 2012

Ebook: Rift HealerAuthor: Diane M. HaynesFiction, Paranor...


Ebook: Rift Healer
Author: Diane M. Haynes
Fiction, Paranormal, magic
This review may contain spoilers
I was gifted this by the author for an honest review
Summary: After a minor earthquake, the enchanted forest in Bidwell, MA, is infested with monster-spewing rifts.Gisele's great nephew, the gifted Micah, and his distant cousin, Selena, arrive to assist. Together with Gisele's summer students, twins Haley and Lacey, they will try to help the magical forest.Much to the consternation of the beautiful Selena, Micah identifies Haley as The One whom he'll share his future. But after witnessing a terrifying display of Micah's Gift, Haley cools to his advances and unexpectedly discovers her own Gift-- she can heal the earth.Monsters, mayhem, and teenage angst follow the small group as they confront evil in the forest and a dangerous prediction that 'one will fall'. Will they heal the rifts in time? Can they save the unicorns? And is Haley really destined to be with Micah?
The ReviewI don’t know where to start, there was so much in this book and all of it was fabulous, The author hit the nail on the head with this one, it kept me entertained for hours. It was extremely well written, the characters were mostly teens who acted just like teens would have reacted in the same environment, I loved it, Micah sounded so yummy, the perfect gent, but only just. Selena the jealous one had some issues, Haley & Lacey twins, my friends daughters could be playing their parts, they are just the same, I loved the forest, I wish we had one in real life, with unicorns and fairies, my kids would play in it all day long, I love all the different monsters that came out of the rifts, what a strange concoction that was, they were all so freaky and you gave them some funky names too, love it, I wonder if there will be Rift Healer 2, would love to know what happens to all the kids and how they get on and if you could come up with any more freaky monsters, and what happens with Gisele, how long does she go on, I am giving this to my daughter to read as I think she will love it, I would highly recommend this to anyone who loved Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and wants something similar to read, 5/5.
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Published on August 29, 2012 06:08

August 28, 2012

Ebook: Beautiful Breakdown (Hunter's Blood)Author: Rue Vo...


Ebook: Beautiful Breakdown (Hunter's Blood)
Author: Rue Volley
Fiction, Paranormal, Erotic
This review may contain spoilers
I was given this by the author for an honest review
Strictly over 18’s only
Summary: "Beautiful Breakdown", book four in the Hunter's Blood Series, is a dark and twisted turn in a vampiric tale of love, lust and the search for truth. Vanessa has been on her own for a year, struggling with memory glitches and her want for Hunter. She knows that without him she may give herself the chance she has been hoping for, a chance to feel. Will she finally feel the sunlight on her face? or place the last nail in the proverbial coffin of her mind. This series is 18+ and graphic in nature..
The ReviewOMG Rue has only gone and done it again, I love this series and this one is no exception, The sex was hot and steamy, but sadly only in the beginning really, there was none towards the end, this one is based more towards the thriller side of this series, I got confused, is she or isn’t she? Rue kept me on the edge of my seat with this one.Vanessa has suffered memory lapses for as long as she has been alive or dead as the case maybe, so now the question that I have to ask myself is which bit was real? I felt for Vanessa, she just had no way of knowing what was real and what wasn’t, she saw Hunter everywhere, as I am sure the rest of us would, Rue has written her in a very complex manner in this one, which really adds to Vanessa misery. This is book 4 in the series, well worth reading from the beginning.Rue style of writing really has got me hooked on this series and I really cannot wait for book 5, Hurry up Rue Please, 5/5
Here is the link to buy from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Breakdown-Hunters-Blood-ebook/dp/B0091GAWHA/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1346164205&sr=8-18&keywords=rue+volley

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Published on August 28, 2012 07:37

August 22, 2012

A review of The Unruly Princess & other stories by Damaris West

The Unruly Princess is more than just a tomboy or hoyden, she is a
menace who begins to see her own actions through new eyes when sees
them mirrored in another... and even exaggerated!
The adventures of Alfred the frog is actually a longer tale in among
the other stories. Alfred benefits from a lesson learned from his own
vanity. His experiences (fortunately survived!) makes for a thrilling
tale and much froggy esteem as he recounts them to the younger frogs.
I like the author's deliberate use of a larger vocabulary in the
tale-telling. I agree with her that children often understand more in
context than we credit them and hope they enjoy the stories.
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Published on August 22, 2012 18:34

Review of Skolthan- Witches, magic & mystery by Damaris West

Hilda, a reclusive, modern-convenience-shunning woman, estranged from
her only daughter, is called upon to prevent the invasion and
desecration of a gateway into Skolthan described as a 'piece of the
original Garden of Eden'. A long introduction containing interesting
bits of herb-lore leads into sharp action, with her daughter coming to
the rescue to protect her mother from "evil companions", including the
strange, fey Camilla that Hilda has recently taken in. A gathering of
a few unexpected friends leads to the unpredictable climax of the
story and the shocking ending.
Although I did not care for the ending, I did enjoy some aspects,
including the remote viewing visions by 'deadly nightshade' that
enables their plan of rescue for both Camilla and Skolthan.
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Published on August 22, 2012 18:32

August 17, 2012

Review of Fat Chances by J.S. Wilsoncroft

Fat Chances by J.S. Wilsoncroft had a good plot as well as a nice, even pace to the story. I found it a bit hard to really get lost in the story and while I liked the main character very much, I found her indecisiveness to be a little much at times. My favorite characters were Natalee and Annie's mom because they are quirky, fun, and they embrace those quirks fully. J.S. Wilsoncroft did a wonderful job creating the character of Molly. She could be every girl I went to high school rolled into one person.

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Chances-ebook/dp/B0084V0XCC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1345234727&sr=1-1&keywords=fat+chances
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Published on August 17, 2012 13:49

August 13, 2012

JUDGING A MOVIE BY ITS BOOK by Candace Bowen Early

JUDGING A MOVIE BY ITS BOOK
In recent years there has been an influx of books made into movies. The book is the writer’s vision of a story, whereas the movie becomes the screenwriter’s and director’s vision. In cases where the screenwriter and director follow the writer’s vision, the movie adaptation closely resembles the original work. However, if the screenwriter and director ignore the writer’s vision the original story may be all but unrecognizable. Although there have been a few instances where I have approved of slight changes from the original story for cinematic flair, I have more frequently been disappointed by the movies based on my favorite books. A recent example would be author Susan Hill’s, The Woman in Black. Following the successful stage play adaptation by Stephen Mallatratt, and a television movie based on the book, it was made into a feature length film in 2011 starring Daniel Radcliffe. I find The Woman in Black to be a classic horror story and looked forward to seeing the film adaptation. However, when I did see the movie, I realized from the first scene it did not follow the writer’s vision. Although the film was good, it was not what I was expecting. It would have been so much better if the movie followed the book’s storyline. Perhaps it is because I am a writer that I am sensitive about such things. If a book reaches the coveted best seller status and is adapted into a screenplay and television movie, I do not understand why it would be so drastically changed for the big screen. Certainly to go unnoticed by the moviegoers who have not read the story, I believe it borders on insulting for the ones who have. I know I went into the theater with certain expectations only to be disappointed by the story as it unfolded. It often makes me wonder what authors think after seeing a dramatically altered film adaptation of their books. Writers are often sensitive when it comes to their writing -- I know I am. While I genuinely feel bad that I have disappointed a reader whose review criticizes faulting editing my book, I am humbly pleased that no review has ever criticized my story line. Similarly, I am pleased that no publisher has asked me to change the story line. Regardless of how thrilled I would be to see one of my novels adapted into a feature film, I do not think I would like to see my vision drastically altered from its original form. I become very attached to the characters I create. In fact, I have been known to cry after I conclude writing a book. On occasion, I have even dragged my feet completing a novel just to delay the inevitable goodbye. Do not get me wrong, it would be a dream come true to see one of my literary works turned into a cinematic feature length film. My only concern is if I would feel the same level of success if my novel was drastically altered from its original state. Candace Bowen EarlyAugust 10, 2012
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Published on August 13, 2012 03:59

August 9, 2012

Moonlight Mayhem Scavenger Hunt

Welcome to the first ever “Author Sherry Soule Scavenger Hunt”The fun begins on June 1st!
To celebrate the release of author, Sherry Soule’s new paranormal, romance novel, MOONLIGHT MAYHEM, you are invited to go on this cyber scavenger hunt and find clues to answer the questions posted below. If you get them all correct, then you might score a Kindle or Nook version of the first book in this unforgettable YA series!
Once you find all 8 clues, please return to this site and put your answers in the comment section. Random winner will be picked on August 16th and be posted at the top of this post, please check back on that day to find out if you’re the lucky winner.The links below will start you on this author's scavenger hunt. Find the answers to each question by clicking on the underlined words, which will link to the answers, and be sure to check the bottom of the post for the details regarding this random giveaway. Best of luck!


SPELLBOUND SERIES QUESTIONS


1. What is the title of Sherry Soule’s third book in the YA Spellbound series? http://thespellboundseries.blogspot.com/p/spellbound-novels.html
2. In Shiloh’s “Epic Battle” short story, what is she destined to do? http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/2011/09/zombie-vs-witch.html
3. What is the last tagline on the Moonlight Mayhem book trailer? http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/2012/06/book-trailer-reveal-of-moonlight-mayhem.html
4. Which book featured a creepy wraith? http://thespellboundseries.blogspot.com/search/label/Excerpts
5. Who are the Nephilim direct descendants of? http://thespellboundseries.blogspot.com/2012/01/broussard-family-history.html
6. What is the title of the first book in the epic Spellbound series and what was it nominated for? http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/2011/11/nominee-best-pnr-wizard-and-witch-2011_16.html
7. What do all heritage witches inherit from their ancestors? http://thespellboundseries.blogspot.com/search/label/Paranormals
8. On @WriterSherry’s Twitter profile, what is she a fan of?https://twitter.com/#!/WriterSherry

MOONLIGHT MAYHEM Synopsis:
Otherworldly Creatures. Dazzling Magic. Fiery Romance.Shiloh Ravenwolf thought she was getting used to the strange events in Whispering Pines, until the full moon brings another surge of supernatural threats to her coastal town. Ferocious wolves, deadly necromancers, and shambling zombies have descended upon the neighborhood, so Shiloh needs to gain control of her magical abilities—fast! It sucks that she has a crippling fear of the dark, which for a demon hunter can be an epic problem.When her classmates are attacked by a mysterious creature and her father is murdered, Shiloh vows vengeance. Forcing her phobias aside, she forms an unlikely coven of supernaturally gifted teens to help her eradicate this menace. Except that's not all Shiloh has to worry about. She’s battling a different monster within herself and struggling not to become the very thing she fights: evil. But with demon blood inside her—anything can happen…
Moonlight Mayhem is the second novel in the unforgettably epic Spellbound series
Where you can find author, Sherry Soule online: Official Blog: http://www.sherrysoule.blogspot.com/Official Spellbound Series Universe: http://thespellboundseries.blogspot.com/Twitter @WriterSherry: http://twitter.com/writersherryBook Trailer/YouTube: http://youtu.be/5uqVXKygvUsgoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11634793-beautifully-broken

Random winner will be picked on August 16th and be posted at the top of this quiz, please check back on that day to find out if you’re the lucky winner. Giveaway details for a Kindle or Nook of BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:1.) You must comment with your answers2.) Be a follower of Sherry’s blog3.) Be a follower of this blog4.) Follow us both on TwitterGood luck!



Sherry Soule is a writer blessed with a vivid imagination and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She loves writing supernatural tales with kickass heroines for teens and adults. Sherry has a morbid fascination with haunted houses. She adores cats. Loves to watch scary movies. And she's a total bookaholic. Aside from writing, she enjoys reading poetry, online shopping, digging through flea markets, and exploring old cemeteries and Victorian mansions. Otherworldly Creatures. Dazzling Magic. Fiery Romance. Shiloh Ravenwolf thought she was getting used to the strange events in Whispering Pines, until the full moon brings another surge of supernatural threats to her coastal town. Ferocious wolves, deadly necromancers, and shambling zombies have descended upon the neighborhood, so Shiloh needs to gain control of her magical abilities—fast! It sucks that she has a crippling fear of the dark, which for a demon hunter can be an epic problem.When her classmates are attacked by a mysterious creature and her father is murdered, Shiloh vows vengeance. Forcing her phobias aside, she forms an unlikely coven of supernaturally gifted teens to help her eradicate this menace. Except that's not all Shiloh has to worry about. She’s battling a different monster within herself and struggling not to become the very thing she fights: evil. But with demon blood inside her—anything can happen… URL TO BT on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o44sW-gFtvA
Read my awesome books! Official Blog Let’s chat on Twitter - @WriterSherry
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Published on August 09, 2012 07:54